Fastener for doors and the like



July 7, 1931. J, s, BURDICK y I 1,812,858

FASTENER FOR DOORS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 17, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'ZIJ MPM

TTOff/VEKS 'July 7, 1931. J, 5 BURD|CK 1,812,858

FASTENER FOR DOORS AND THE LIKE Filed Deo. 1'7, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f7. 7' 0645365/1/55 j 4Z 0^/ 2, m, :A 1/

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Fatented July f7, 193i UNTED y i,i,5s

JOHN S. BURDICK, OF HAIlIBURG, YORK FASTENER FOR DOORS AND TEE LIKE Application led December 17, 1927. Serial No. 240,914.

This invention relates to improvements in fasteners for the doors of vehicle bodies.

The objects of this invention are to providefa fastener of this kind in which the reciprocatory fastening or latch bolt is constructed and arranged to adjust itself to cooperate with the recess in the striking plate or keeper so that a correct bearing of the end of the bolt with the striking plate or keeper is provided at all times; also to provide a fastener of this kind with a bolt which is arranged to swing about its axis for the purpose of alining the end of the bolt with the walls of the` recess in the striking plate or keeper; also to provide a bolt of this kind with an end which is yso formed that the bolt engages the keeper along lines of contact so as to minimize the wear on thebolt and striking plate or keeper; also to provide a fastener having a bolt of this kind with an v improved pull-back handle or lever for withdrawing the bolt from its engagement with the striking plate or keeper; also to provide a fastener ofv this kind with means of improved construction for preventing the moving of the bolt from fastening engagement with the striking plate or keeper without first unlockingthe outside handle; also to improve theconstruction of door fasteners of this kind in other respects hereinafter speciln the accompanying drawings,

Fig. l is a side view of a fastening device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation thereof on line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional plan view, showing the guide sleeve for the bolt with the bolt and other parts of the fastener `removed therefrom.-

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a fastener of' slightly modified construction.

Fig. 8 is a central, sectional view of a latch bolt of slightly modified construction'.

` to turn about its axis, and for this pu Fig. 9 is a side view of a fastener of still another modified construction.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, sectional view thereof on line 10-10, Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a side view of another modified form of my improved fastener.

Fig. 12 is a sectional View thereof on line 12-12, Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged section showing the anti-rattling means on the operating lever.

A represents the door frame and B a sup-v porting plate on which the various parts of the fastener are mounted, the plate B being preferably made of sheet metal and has the outer edge thereof bent at an angle to form a flange b which extends substantially in. alinement with the outer edge of the door. C, Fig. 4, is a frame member of the vehicle body adjacent to the door and which is provided with a striking plate or keeper D, that shown having a substantially V-shaped recess 15 in which the end of the bolt engages when in its latched or locking position. If desired, another recess 16 may be provided in which the bolt engages when the-door is partly shut.

E represents the bolt of my improved fastener which is provided with an outer end 17 which is preferably curved or partly cylindrical in form, the curved or cylindrical surfaces thereof extending transversely of the length of the bolt. It is desirable that this curved end may turn about the yaxis of the bolt so that the end 17 of the bolt may properly aline itself with the slot 16 in the keeper, and the turning of the end of the bolt may be arranged for in any suitable or desired manner. In the form of my invention as illustrated, the entire bolt is adapted ose the bolt is provided with bearing portions which are substantially cylindrical in shape so that the bolt may turn about its axis. The curved endl? of the bolt is of such diameter that this end 17 cannot enter or seat in the (bottom or apex of the V-shaped recess 15, but seats at a distance from the bottom thereof, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. By means of this arrangement, the dooris held against movement in either opening or closing direction when thelbolt engages in the recess and as the end of the bolt and the recess wear,

the bolt will st ill continue to hold the door from swinging ineither direction due to the spring pressure' acting on the bolt to move- I recess, So that in case of a. shifting of the door relatively to the body of the vehicle, the fastener will continue to function and movement of the door relatively to the body due to shocks or vibrations of the vehicle will be compensated for by the vertical movement of the bolt in the recess 15so that no strains on the fastener or parts of the body result. The bolt E, as will be hereinafter described, is so mountedy on the ,fastener asA to permit this bolt-'to rotate to la limited ex- -tent about its axis and consequently the end 17 thereof always seats itself in the recess 15 in such a manner as to contact along two lines in this recess, the bolt automatically turning about its axis to seat itself in therecess in this manner. This mounting of the bolt is of importance for the reason that it adds considerably to the life of the bolt and keeper by insuring the proper seating of the endl of thebolt in the keeper or striking platev at all times, and valso has the advantage that the assembling ofthe fastener and the placing of the Same on a car door is greatly facilitated since it is .not necessary to have the end of the bolt precisely alined with reference to the striking plate or keeper, or"in the event that the striking plate-or keeper 1s not properly installed, the bolt nevertheless will turn about its axis and adapt itself to the striking plate or keeper as installed. The bolt E, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 61, is

provided with a recessv 18 adjacent to the.'-

outer end thereof and another recess 19 :adjacent to the inner end of the bolt. The recess 19 is provided withlan additional longitudinal recess 20, in which an antifriction' tube has a recess 23 cut therein which .is of' such vsize .asto render the recesses 18 and 19 1n the cylindrical bolt accessible through the recess 23. The tube may be securedlon the plate B -in any suitable or desired manner, for example, the inner end of the tube may lloe-fastened-to the plate 'B by means of a strap 2 4, the ends of which are welded or otherwlse suitably secured to the plate B. The outer endv ofthe tube vis preferably inserted into ahole formed in the flange b at the outer edge of the plate B. Any other mea-ns for securing the tube on the plate B y may be employed, such as welding. The inner end of the tube is preferably either closed or partly closed, for example, by turning the inner ends of the tube F or portions thereof inwardly to form flanges or projections 25 against which the inner end of a coil spring 26 may bear, the other end [bearing against the inner end of the cylindrical bolt, thus normally forcing the bolt outwardly .into its locking or latching position shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

' As is customary in fasteners of this kind some means are provided which are operable lfrom the interior of :the vehiclevfor withdrawing the bolt E from thebstriking plate or keeper, and for thisvpurpose,in the particular construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, a

bent lever 29 is provided, which is pivoted at 30 on the plate B and which has a knob 31 at the upper end thereof which extends through the window sill of the door or into any other suitable or convenient Vposition for manipulation of the lever. The curved portion of this lever bears on the roller 21 on miv prevent rattling of the lever 29 by movement thereof transversely to the action or force applied by the spring 32, and for this purpose l in the particular construction shown, see articularly Figs. 1 and 13, a spring pressed all 27y is provided on .this lever. .This ball is preferably arranged in a cu'p 27a whichvmay be held 1n place on' the lever 29 by a screw threaded engagement with a threaded hole in the lever 29. This cup contains a spring 28 which normally presses the ball 27 against the plate B" and thus holdsthe lever out of engagement with the plate and yieldingly forces the lever away from the plate B.

uty

The door is also provided with the usual.'

outside handle (not shown) by means=of which a shaft 33 may'be oscillated. This cular in cross section, extends througha cor- -shaft, which is preferably square or non-cirrespondingly shaped hole in a hub 34,- one end ofwhich extends through and is journalled in ahole in a plate b secured tothe plate B- and the ange Z2 thereof. This hub has a bent arm 35 rigidly secured thereto or formed integral therewith which'arl'n is preferably I provided at its lower end with a roller 36.

The lower end of this arm extends into the'slot or recess 18 in the bolt and the roller .36 is l upon the turning of the shaft 33 and thus lever 29.

The fasteneris also provided with means operable at will for locking or preventing the opening of the door from the outside. In the particular construction shown for this purpose the hub 34 on the shaft 33 is provided with an upwardly extending' tooth or projection 38 which is =adapted to engage in a correspondingly shaped notch in a locking link 39 pivoted at 4Q on the plate B. It will be obvious that when this link 39 is lowered into the position shown in Fig. 1, the turning of the shaft 33 in a direction to withdraw the bolt E from its latched position is prevented by the engagement of the tooth 38 in the notch of the link 39. This link may be moved into and out of its locking position in any suitable or desired manner, for example, by means of a rod 42 extending through the window sill of the door ,and provided at its'upper end with a knob 43 and connected to its lower end with the link 39 in any suitable manner, for example, by means of a sheet metal link 44 slidably mountedon the plate B by means of a screw 45 extending through a slot in the link 44. By raising the slide rod 42 the locking link 39 will be raised so that the notch therein is out of the path ofmovement of the tooth 38. If it is desired to lock the door the rod 42 is depressed, thus causing the tooth 38 to engage in the notch in the locking link 39. 47represents a coil spring, one end of which is mounted on the plate B and the other end of which engages the tooth 38 for normally holding the door handle connected with the shaft 33 in its proper closing position which position is governed by a tooth 48 on the hub 34, which is urged by the spring 47 into engagementwith a stop 48a on the plates B or b.- This locking device is adapted to be op erated from the interior of a car, but it will be obvious that other mechanisms for use on a door which is to be locked from the outside may be used in place of that shown.

n It is also desirable to provide for the movement of the llocking link 39 intoits unlocking position when the inside opening lever 29 is actuated and for this purpose, in the particular construction shown, the locking link 39 is offset at 49, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4, to extend around the path of movement of the bent lever 29.V The bent lever is provided with a roller `50 which is adapted to engage the underside of the locking link- 39 after the bent lever has moved through a limited distance in an unlocking direction, and thus to cause the locking link 39 to be swung upwardly about its pivot 40, causing the notch therein to move out of engagement with the tooth 38. In order t prevent the movement of the lever 29 from raising the locking link 39 to an excessive extent, the under surface of the locking `lever may be partly cut away or recessed as shown at 51. Consequently it will be obvious that-by swinging the lever 29 about its pivot, the shaft 33 is unlocked and the bolt E is removed from its latching position. The lever 29, because o`f its p'sition in the recess 19 of the bolt, also serves to limit the extent to which this bolt may turn about its axis. l

Means may be provided, if desired, to reduce the friction between the bent lever 29 and the locking link 39, since it is obvious that the spring 28 acting on the ball 27 will normally press the lever 29 against the locking link 39.Y In the particular construction illustrated for this purpose a bearing ball 52 is provided, which is arranged in a hole or recess 53 in the lever 29, the ball being so arranged as to bear against the face of the locking link 39. p

In order that the locking link 39 may be normally held in its unlocking position andV prevented from dropping by gravity into a locking position, a boss 54 is preferably formed on the link 39 which extends toward the plate B and is adapted to enter into a recess 54a formed in the plate B., i Consequently when the locking link is raised' the boss 54 will enter into the recess 54a and thus yieldingly hold the 'locking plate against falling by gravity into its locking position.

In Figs. 1 to 6 my invention is disclosed as applied to a fastener of the kind intended for a vehicle door in which the fastener 1s actuated adjacent to the outer end' of the door and by means of a swinging lever. In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8 my 1nvention is illustrated as used in connection with a remote operated type of door fastener, in which the unlocking and unlatching h andle or lever may be provided near the hinged side of the door. Such a handle or lever is not shown in Fig. 7 but is intended to be connected to one end of a rod 55, the other end of which is pivoted at 56 to a swinging lever 57 which is substantially the equivalent of the lever 29 except that the lever 57 is somewhat shorter and does not extend through the window sill of the door. Otherwise the fastener shown in Fig. 7 may be the same as the one shown in Figs. 1 to 6.

In Fig. 8 is shown a construction in which the lever 57 or its equivalent may be entirely omitted. In this figure a fastening bo t E 1s `shown arranged in a cylindrical tu e F', a

spring 60 yieldingly holding the bolt in its fastening or latched position. In order to withdraw the bolt, a rod 61 is provided which has a jointed connection with the bolt, the rod shown havin an enlargement or ball 62 formed on the en thereof, which is secured in a hole or recess 63 in the inner end of the vbolt E. 64 rep-resents an externally threaded sleeve which engages with corresponding threads in the hole 63 of the bolt E and holds the ball or enlargement 62 of the rod' 61 in connection with the bolt E. A spring 65 actin'g on the ball 62 prevents rattling and at the same time permits limited movement of the rod'61 relatively to the bolt E.- L @The other endof the rod '61 may be pivotally' connected to a swinging lever or other device mounted on the hinged side of the door, so that the -actuation of the lever or other devicecauses a pull on the rod' 61 which moves the bolt E- out of itslocking or latching position.

In many types of vehicle doors the fastener is operated byan upright `rod which may be turned through al part of a revolution by means of a handle on the upper end thereof. With my improved fastener it is also possible to use this kind-of a fastener operating device, as is shown in Figs. `9 and 10, in which a bolt E2 is employed which is similar tothe one described' in connection with Figs. 1 to 6. In this construction the bent lever 29, shown lin Figs. 1 to 4, is replaced by an upright rod 70, the lower end 71 of which is offset or cranked with reference to the remainder of therod, as is clearly shown in Figs. 9 and 10,

and a roller 72 is providediwhich is adapted to engage the rear wall of a recess73 in the bolt E2. A coil spring 74 extending around the rod- 70 normally holds this rod in the position in which the bolt E2 may remain in its latching position and also prevents ratv tling of the rod 70. In order to make it posto'7, the upright rod 70 is p-rovided with a' sible for the turning of the lrod to cause the unlocking of the door in case the same has been locked' by means of a locking link 75 corresponding to the link 39, shown in Figs. 1

barrel cam 6 secured thereto, the upper edge of which is adapted to engage with the loweredge of the locking link 75 in such a manner that when the rod 70 is turned to withdraw the bolt E2 from its fastening position, the upper edge ofthe cam 7 6 causes the locking link 7 5 to 'be swung upwardly about its pivot 77 into the broken line position shown in Fig. 9, and thus release the latch therein-from engagement with the tooth 38. "Except as described thefastener shown in Figs. 9 and 10 f is substantiallyv identical with those heretofore described.

In Figs. 11 and 12 my invention is shown as applied to another type of vehicle door fastener in which the latch is withdrawn by an interior lever or device (not shown) arranged near the hinged vsidel of theedoor and connected to arod 80 which extends through an axial hole in the inner end of the fastening bolt E". In this construction the turning of the shaft 33 of the outside handle is 65 prevented by means of a. recess in a locking arm 81 engaging with the tooth 38. The arm 81 is formed integral or vrigidly connected with an upright slide member 82 having a pin 83 in the upper end thereof which engages in a slot 84: of an arm 85 secured to a shaft 86 which may be turned by the usual handle (not shown) for locking and unlocking the door from the inside. When the shaft is turned into the full line position shown in Fig. 11, the door is lockedagainst opening from the 4outside of the vehicle, and when the shaft 86 is turned to swing the arm 85 and the parts connected therewith into the broken line position shown in Fig. 11, the door is unlocked so that it can be unlatched from the exterior of the vehicle. In order to make it possible to unlock the doorby means of the remote control lever or device at the same time that the bolt E3 is withdrawn from its locking position, the outer end of the rod 80 is pro-r vided with a roller 88 which is adapted to engage with an inclined portion 89 of a member 87 which is preferably integral with the .slide member 82 and bent at right angles thereto, andl consequently when the wheel or disk 88 is moved to the left in Fig. 11, the inclined portion 89 will be caused to moveupwardly, carrying the locking members 82 and 81 with it. In order to make it possible for the wheel 88 to be moved to the left to a limited extent before the bolt E3 is moved into its unlatched position, a spring 90 is provided about the end of the rod 80 and extends into a cup 91 suitably secured on the rod 80. This cup is placed at a distance from the wall 92 in the end of the recessed portion of the cylindrical bolt E3 and upon the movement of the rod -8'0 tothe left in Fig. 11, the spring 90 is compressed without moving the bolt E3 to the left because of the fact that the spring 93 which bears against the inner end of the bolt Es is of greater strength. This movement permitted by the Icompression of the spring 90 is sufficient to permit the raising of the locking arm 81, and thereafter theedge of the cup 91 will engage the wall 92 and thus cause the rod 82 to move the bolt E8 to the left-in Figs.

11 and 12 into an unlatching position. The

.lug adapted to enter into a corresponding depression 98 in the plate on which the parts of the fastener are mounted, so that the arm will beyieldingly held in its upper or unlocked position.

In all of the constructions described, the

-latch and locking bolt may adjust itself to the j zo - have the advantage of being reliable in operation and comparatively inexpensive to produce, and easier and less costly to install on a door than other fasteners heretofore made 10 because-of the fact that great accuracy in installing the fastener is not'necessary to' the successful operation thereof, the fastener being so constructed that the end of the bolt alines itself with the recess 'in the striking l plate, so-that the filing or fitting of the parts lis entirely eliminated at the time of installa.

1. A fastener including aboltadaptedtocooperate with a keeper, said keeper being provided with a face extending transversely of the direction. of movement of'said bolt into its looking position and said bolt ,being provided with a face adapted to cooperate with a face of said keeper, -said face of said bolt being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the bolt during the fastening' operation of said bolt to permit the face of said bolt to a straight line.-

`2. A fastener including a bolt adapted to aline itself with the face'of said keeper along cooperate with a keeper, said keeper being provided with a face extending transversely of the direction of movement of said bolt into its locking position and said bolt being provided 4with a substantially cylindrical face extending transversely of the axis of the bolt and adapted to cooperate with a face of said keeper to cause said surfaces to engage along 40 a straight line of contact, and. means for rotatably mounting said bolt to permit the face of-said bolt to aline itself with the face of said keeper. f

3. A- fastener including a bolt adapted to cooperate with a keeper, said keeper being provided with a face extendin ltransversely of the direction of movement of said bolt into its locking position and said bolt-being provided with aconvex face having a curvature of a kind which'is generated by a straight line and adapted to cooperate with a/part onl of said transverse face of said keeper, sai bolt being provided with a surface cylindrical about 1ts axis, and a bearing for said lock cooperating. with said cylindrical surface to permit said bolt to turn aboutfits axisl to enable the. face on the end thereof to aline I with the face of the keeper. f

4. A fastener including a bolt adapted to e@cooperate with a keeper, said vkeeper being provided with a face extending transversely of the direction of movement of said bolt into its lookin position and said bolt being provided wit a convex face havin a curvature p 55 of a kind which is generated y astraight line and adapted to cooperate with a part only of said transverse face of said keeper, said bolt being provided with cylindrical surfaces, a tubular bearing member within which said surfaces cooperate to permit lengthwise movement of said bolt and rotary movement of said bolt about its axis independent of said lengthwise movement into and out of its locking position to aline the face on the end thereof with the face on said keeper.

5. A fastener including a bolt adapted to cooperate with a keeper having a substantially upright bearing surface, said bolt having substantially cylindrical longitudinal surfaces, a tubular housing in which said bolt is mountedl to permit the same to move lengthwise and axially, recesses in said bolt, and bolt actuating devices movable in one plane only and extending into said recesses for moving said bolt lengthwise thereof and Ifor limiting the rotation of said bolt about its axis.

. 6. A door fastener including a bolt, a keeper for said bolt having a V-shaped recess extending transversely of the dlrection of movement of said bolt into its locking position, the outer end of/said bolt having a substantially cylindrical surface extending transversely of the length'thereof and adapted to cooperate with said recess and being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said bolt to aline itself with said recess, and means for moving said bolt into and out of its locking position.

7. A door fastener including a bolt, a keeper for said bolt having a V-shaped recess extending transversely of the direction of movement of said bolt into itslocking positionfa rounded end on said bolt extending of said recess. l

8. A fastener including a keeper having an extended upright recess a substantially cylindrical bolt having a lrecess therein and an outer end to align itself with different portions of saidrecess in said keeper, a bearing in which said bolt is mounted to move length Wise and to oscillate about its axis, and a bolt actuating member movable in one plane only and extending into said recess to'impart longitudinal movement to said bolt and to limit los lll@

the turning of said bolt about its axis said l recess being formedto permit said bolt to oscillate relatively to said me\mber.

9. A fastener including a supportm plate for the page thereof havlng one edge t ereof bent to form a flange extending at an angle thereto, a tube extending through a hole in said flange and secured to said plate, said tube having a recess in a side thereof, ai sub'- stantially cylindrical bolt arranged in said tube to move lengthwise thereof and to turn axially therein and having a recess inv registration vwith said recess in said tube, and bolt actuating means'mounted on said plate and extending into said recess for moving said bolt lengthwise in said tube.

10. A fastener including a supporting m plate for the parts thereof having one edge thereof bent to form a flange extending at an angle thereto, a tube extending through a hole in said flange and secured to said plate,

said tube having' a recess in a side thereof, a

substantially cylindrical bolt arranged in said tube to move lengthwise thereof and to turn axially therein and having a recess in registration with said recess in said tube, a

spring arranged in the end of said tube and @bearing against the inner end of said bolt,

and actuating` devices mounted on said plate and extending into said recess for moving said bolt against the action of said spring and for limiting the extent to which said bolt may turn about its axis. l

11. A fastener including a. bolt and a keeper having a surface. extending transversely with regard to the direction of movement of the bolt into its locking position, the outer end of the bolt being provided with a' surface formed to engage said surface of the keeper along a straight line extending transversely of the length of the bolt and oscillatory approximately about the axis of the bolt l. at all times during the operation of the bolt to enable theend of the bolt to align itself with thesurface of the keeper to engage the same'along.straightlines.

JOHN s. emmen. 

